Communication Studies: COM 101: Concepts of Communication

major program; core classes

Welcome!

This guide's purposes are to: help you learn more about Communication Studies while using information, provide resources for doing research in the COM 101 course, help you save time and energy, and successfully complete your assignments.

Each discipline or field of study has different values about types of information and procedures for research, so the resources here will be different from those you might have used in other courses in fields like Writing or Biology.

Articles and Databases

Books, Encyclopedias, Media, etc.

  • While half of our books are online, many books are also on shelves! "Call numbers" are shelf locations, in order alphabetically then numerically.
  • Books in the call number area P 87-P 99.6 on the 3rd floor cover general communication topics.
  • Communication Studies book are also under call numbers: HE 7601-HE 9756 on the 2nd floor

Other Libraries you may use

Streaming video databases

GVSU Library Tutorials

Search tips

  • use "quotation marks" around phrases
  • truncate - with an asterisk * - truncat* finds truncate, truncated, truncation
  • use AND to combine unlike ideas: dance AND promotion
  • use OR to connect synonyms:  advertisements OR campaigns

Put it all together:

  • "hip hop dance" in one box
  • AND (promot* OR advertis* OR campaigns) in the next box
  • use parentheses in single-box searching - when you don't have another set of boxes, e.g.,:
  • "hip hop dance" AND (promot* OR advertis* OR campaigns)

Use the left or right menus to narrow your results, e.g., by language, date, subject, etc.

  • Databases have a citation and sometimes they will also contain an abstract, or summary, of the article.
  • Databases also often cite multiple types of resources - books, essays or chapters, government documents, etc.
  • Some databases will also have the complete item (called the full text): you should see a link to an HTML or PDF document. Or click on Get it @ GVSU - this will check other library databases for the full text.

What kind of journal is this?

When researching, you will come across a variety of different types of journals. Most journals and magazines fall into one of the following three categories: scholarly, popular, and trade publications. This table will show you how to find out how to tell the difference between these types of journals.

Identifying Journal Types
  Scholarly Journals Popular Journals Trade Journals
Purpose Informs/reports on original research done by scholars and experts in the field. Entertains and informs a general audience without providing in-depth analysis. Reports on industry trends, new products or techniques useful to people in a trade or business.
Authors Articles are written by subject specialists and experts in the field. Articles are written by journalists, freelance writers, or an editorial staff. Articles are written by specialists in a certain field or industry.
Audience Intended for a limited audience - mainly researchers, scholars, and experts. Appeals to a broad segment of the population. Intended for people in a particular profession, business, or industry.
Appearance Simple cover design, few images or ads. May include charts, graphs, data. Glossy, colorful, many images and lots of advertising. Often glossy paper; images/advertisements relate to specific field or profession.
Article length Tend to be lengthy, may include original research, in-depth analysis, very specific focus. Typically brief, from less than 1 page to several pages. Short to medium length articles.
Content Original research, literary criticism and theory, literature review, in-depth analysis of topic. Short, feature-length articles, news and general interest topics. Articles about professional trends, new products or techniques, industry-related news.
Writing style Use terminology, language and jargon relevant to the discipline. Simple language used, written for general public. Technical, field-specific language used, assumes reader familiar with industry.
References Articles typically include references, notes, works cited. Articles typically do not have references. Articles sometimes have references.
Examples
  • Shakespeare Quarterly
  • Journal of the American Medical Association
  • Newsweek
  • Rolling Stone
  • Sports Illustrated
  • Automotive News
  • Strategy & Business
  • Advertising Age
Subjects: Communications
  • Last Updated: Dec 15, 2025 7:31 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.gvsu.edu/communications